Blind courage
by Ecliptic Rain
Summary: Malene was an archer, but could she become the best, in spite of her lack of vision? ((pg for saome language in later chapters))[complete]
1. Prologue

**Chapter 6: What can go wrong... will go wrong**  
  
Malene knew that she had to leave home now, to spread her wings and fly away from the nest, but she felt something she never felt in all her seventeen years.  
  
She was scared. This was the first time in her entire life that she had ever set foot outside of Payon. She knew nothing of the world outside her home. What if the people she met were even more cruel than her classmates?  
  
But no one gets anywhere by hanging around home all their life! Besides, her lifelong dream was to travel around Midgard, have many adventures, befriend many people, see the world...err...you get the idea.  
  
But as I was saying, she was afraid to leave the security of her home. But how could she ever prove her worth unless she went out into the world?  
  
So the week after her graduation, she and the rest of the freshly inducted hunters made a decision to journey to the abandoned city of Glast Heim. They hired a friendly priest to open a warp portal to their destination, and in a flash, they were all whisked away to the haunted city.  
  
But you now how some people say that if anything can go wrong, it will. And it did. Poor little Malene was left behind. She quickly tracked the priest down.  
  
"What is it child, did you get separated from your party? Oh! You must be one of the new graduates of this year's batch of hunters."  
  
He quickly apologized to the blind girl and opened a new warp portal for her to be able to join her friends. She thanked the kind priest and stepped into the portal, but once again, if something can go wrong, it will.  
  
"Oh drat! I can't believe I screwed up again!"  
  
As soon as the young girl felt her feet touch solid ground, she knew she was in the wrong place. It was just too noisy...  
  
She quickly tapped the shoulder of the nearest living creature.  
  
"Excuse me, but could you please tell me what place this is?"  
  
The stranger chuckled and smiled.  
  
"Well dear, you're in the lovely city of Al de Baran."  
  
Al de? What was she going to do here? All her hunter friends were in Glast Heim now, and she was all alone in some city that the only thing she knew about it was that it was in the north.  
  
"Let me guess...you aren't supposed to be here, right?"  
  
She nodded, her fear growing. But the kind stranger sensed this.  
  
"Heh...priests these days...they can hardly ever get a warp right. Well, while you're here, you might want to check out the clock tower...just be careful. Those punks may be small, but their bite is quite nasty. As for the clocks, just don't attack them first and you should be fine. Good luck Miss."  
  
So not all people were mean and cruel. Perhaps leaving Payon was the best decision she ever made.  
  
And things were about to get better.


	2. A world of darkness

Hmm...where shall I start? Give me a moment to revive my memories...I am quite aged you know. Ah yes...  
  
**Chapter 1: A world of darkness**  
  
There was a young couple who lived in the archer village. While the father was a skilled hunter, his wife was even more skilled than he! I still think it was very honorable of him to humbly accept that a woman could out shoot him, in fact he claims that this is what caused his love for her to blossom. But their fairytale is another tale for another rainy night.  
  
The protagonist of this story is their daughter. You could imagine the shock of the young couple, especially her mother at having an offspring who could not see. Why, there would be no one to carry on the legacy of the females in their family! Since archery requires keen vision, it is not surprising that the few blind children born to their parents are abandoned, being considered "undesirable" spawns...but you must not think them cruel. They only wanted what was best for their children, and did not wish them to be ridiculed for not being able to hit a target. Archers are the pride of Payon, after all.  
  
But this couple was different. They rebelled against the advice of their elders to ask a priest or such to take the sightless baby off their hands. Instead they named her Tourmaline Jessle and reared her as they would any normal child. With the care of her parents and her older brother Jadeite, she grew to be a very lovely young child.  
  
One day, however, young Malene was mystified as to why the other children always beat her in their games, especially hide-and-seek. After much pestering and aggravation from the little girl, her brother was annoyed to the point of suddenly shouting at his young sister.  
  
"For crying out loud Sel, you're bloody blind as a familiar!"  
  
This shocked young Malene to the point of tears. Needless to say, Jadeite was reprimanded for his harsh outburst against his sibling.  
  
But this made young Malene even more curious of this "blindness." Since the day she was born, she was engulfed in a world of darkness. Wasn't it like this for everyone?  
  
But her parents would hear nothing of it. They changed the subject of the conversation each time it even threatened to flow in that direction.  
  
Until the day of her 12th birthday, for this was the day she would, as with tradition, be given her first bow.  
  
And her test to see if she was worthy.


	3. Testing Oneself

**Chapter 2: Testing oneself**  
  
Since Malene was only allowed to play right outside their home, it was not known by many that she was indeed blind. But it would be strange for a young Payonese child to not learn to use a bow, thus it was inevitable that she enter training as an archer.  
  
Though she started her archery training considerably late as compared to the other children, she was quite fortunate to have her parents and her brother to teach her the ways of an archer. Before long she was able to shoot straight and true, but how was she to aim?  
  
It was only on the day of her archery exams that she learned just how cruel the world was, and just how much of a handicap this so called blindness was.

* * *

"Next, umm...let me see...Tourmaline Surculus."  
  
The young girl stepped up at the mentioning of her name. She stood in front of the target. Carefully, she drew the arrow back and released it, sending it rocketing towards the target. It was by more than sheer luck that her arrow managed to pierce the innermost circle. This alone was proof that she had true archery blood in her veins.  
  
After all of the young novices had taken their turns, the ones who had passed were herded into a small room where the recruiter in charge of the exams sat waiting.  
  
"I am very pleased to announce that among all those who have applied, more than half of this batch has passed, congratulations to all of you. But there is on whom I would especially like to commend. Will the youngest of this batch please step forward...Miss Surculus, is it? Please come up here child."  
  
The girl carefully made her way towards the sound of the voice, but was stopped by someone else.  
  
"Hey, take off your shades! Don't ya know that's rude?"  
  
The kind, middle aged recruiter spoke up.  
  
"Now then, there is no need to speak so harshly. But he is right. Miss Surculus, may I please ask you to remove your sunglasses?"  
  
She hesitated. Her mother had told her never to remove her sunglasses in public. But she had the feeling that she had no choice but to comply. Slowly, she closed her eyes and reached up to pull off her violet tinted sunglasses. But at the moment she opened her eyes, the entire room fell silent.  
  
For her eyes were pure white, the telltale sign that she did not have the ability to view the world around her.  
  
"I'm sorry, but we cannot accept a visionless novice to become an archer." 


	4. Sight isn't everything

Oh I'm sorry! I must have dozed off again...silly me. Can you forgive and old lady for her age? Well, I'd better finish the story...  
  
**Chapter 3: Sight isn't everything**  
  
The words of rejection rang in young Malene's head. What was this curse known as blindness? Why had she been rejected even though she passed the test? Crystalline tears began to form in her white eyes.  
  
"What is the meaning of this?"  
  
Jadeite, being the protective brother that he was, had run to tell the master of the Archer's guild.  
  
"Master, this girl cannot join our ranks...she cannot even see!"  
  
The old Guild master rubbed his chin thoughtfully, then left the room, motioning them to follow.  
  
"Give me a bow...and summon a monster...it shall be my target."  
  
The old man closed his eyes and waited. The crisp sound of a dead branch being snapped filled the air, breaking the silence. In a flash, an Axe Kobold appeared and charged straight towards the old archer. It only took a split second. Without ever opening his eyes, he had shot an arrow directly through the canine monster's heart. It tumbled over, death coming an instant later.  
  
"You have all seen that I have killed a monster in one shot without ever seeing it, Who are you to say that this young lady cannot do the same?"  
  
"But Master..."  
  
"No buts. She has passed the exams, and thus shall be accepted to continue her training as an archer. This discussion is closed."  
  
The little blind novice adjusted her violet tinted sunglasses. Maybe she had hope after all.


	5. Training day blues

**Chapter 4: Training day blues**  
  
It wasn't easy training to hit your target without the guidance of vision, but that was not the only sense that was needed. Due to her lack of vision, her other senses took the liberty of claiming dominance. Her hearing was twice as sharp as that of her peers.  
  
Still there were those who would not give her a chance. She did not seem to be as good as the others, mostly because she was insecure. She trained alone most of the time, and thus did not know of her own strength. During exams she would become so nervous that she would often falter.  
  
They would taunt her, making her even more insecure. Thus she would often practice by shooting poporings in the forest. She would listen for the sound of the blob creature's bouncing, then would fire away. She knew that she had hit her target each time she heard the splat of the poring's relative exploding. Of course she only attempted to shoot the poporings from a safe distance, preferably from atop a cliff.  
  
Though oftentimes she would shoot at the greatest generals...not that they did much for her. The creaking got on her nerves, and their immobility did little to improve her aim. Her arrows often ended up landing in the same place, splitting each other. It was a good stress reliever though...  
  
But through her secretive training, her reliance on sound instead of sight gave her a different ability.  
  
She learned to see without seeing.  
  
What's the matter, does this confuse you? Allow me to explain.  
  
As you know, all living creatures give off heat. Malene had been able to hone her ability to feel the change in temperature in the air. A sort of Heat vision, if you will. But this, along with her keen hearing, allowed her to develop her proficiency with the bow until her aim was lethal.  
  
But her classmates did not know this, and one made a fatal mistake which would make them all think twice before ever messing with a "disabled," though I would say "differently advantaged," person again.  
  
...What?  
  
...you want me to tell you?  
  
Well...alright...  
  
It was the day of their exams once again, and they were taunting her as usual. But one of them went too far.  
  
"Hey Famy! I bet you couldn't hit me if I were standing three feet in front of you!"  
  
Famy...the one name she couldn't stand. They had labeled her as being as blind as the familiars which made their home in the zombie infested caves in the west part of the archer village. She turned towards him and removed her purple glasses, revealing the creepy white eyes which scared them all.  
  
"Actually, I could."  
  
And before he had a chance to move, the young archer fired an arrow that didn't miss.


	6. Don't mess with me

**Chapter 5: Don't mess with me**  
  
Everyone stood there, frozen in shock. All eyes were on Malene, and she knew it. She turned to leave, but said one thing before departing.  
  
"Let this be a lesson to all of you. I may be blind but my arrows can make you regret ever having met me. And Chase, get a new bandana."  
  
They all looked at the boy named Chase, the one who had called her Famy. He was still standing there, shaking in fear. The arrow had sailed right past his head, taking his bandana and pinning it to the tree behind him. But of course, some people never learn.  
  
"Ha! You missed!"  
  
Yes, he was quite a jerk. And he became one of the most hated hunters ever. I'll never understand why he loved to shoot monsters that other people were already fighting.  
  
But anyway, you can probably guess just how ticked off Malene was now. She pointed another arrow in his direction.  
  
"Imbecile, I was aiming for your bandana. I'm not so stupid as to break the rules and actually hurt someone. But if you need more convincing, I can always rip a hole in that pretty scarf of yours."  
  
She aimed for his neck and drew the arrow back, ready to fire at any moment.  
  
"O...okay...you...you win this time..."  
  
And with that, her idiotic classmate ran for dear life, probably just to go crying to his mother. Pathetic.  
  
The blind girl slipped the arrow back into her quiver and turned to walk towards the main building of the archer's guild. She had an exam to take.  
  
What's wrong?  
  
You want to hear more?  
  
Well nothing interesting happened after that. All of the other archers were afraid of her. They knew that she could either destroy something of theirs or even take their very lives if she wished. But she was kind and would never make a move as long as they didn't cross the line.  
  
But she was a loner. The others both admired and envied her skill, but their fear caused them to stay away, thus she grew up to be very lonely. Needless to say, she graduated early and became a hunter at the age of 17.  
  
And on the day she left home, she couldn't help but feel that things would never be the same again.


	7. What can go wrong will go wrong

**Chapter 6: What can go wrong will**  
  
Malene knew that she had to leave home now, to spread her wings and fly away from the nest, but she felt something she never felt in all her seventeen years.  
  
She was scared. This was the first time in her entire life that she had ever set foot outside of Payon. She knew nothing of the world outside her home. What if the people she met were even more cruel than her classmates?  
  
But no one gets anywhere by hanging around home all their life! Besides, her lifelong dream was to travel around Midgard, have many adventures, befriend many people, see the world...err...you get the idea.  
  
But as I was saying, she was afraid to leave the security of her home. But how could she ever prove her worth unless she went out into the world?  
  
So the week after her graduation, she and the rest of the freshly inducted hunters made a decision to journey to the abandoned city of Glast Heim. They hired a friendly priest to open a warp portal to their destination, and in a flash, they were all whisked away to the haunted city.  
  
But you now how some people say that if anything can go wrong, it will. And it did. Poor little Malene was left behind. She quickly tracked the priest down.  
  
"What is it child, did you get separated from your party? Oh! You must be one of the new graduates of this year's batch of hunters."  
  
He quickly apologized to the blind girl and opened a new warp portal for her to be able to join her friends. She thanked the kind priest and stepped into the portal, but once again, if something can go wrong, it will.  
  
"Oh drat! I can't believe I screwed up again!"

* * *

As soon as the young girl felt her feet touch solid ground, she knew she was in the wrong place. It was just too noisy...  
  
She quickly tapped the shoulder of the nearest living creature.  
  
"Excuse me, but could you please tell me what place this is?"  
  
The stranger chuckled and smiled.  
  
"Well dear, you're in the lovely city of Al de Baran."  
  
Al de? What was she going to do here? All her hunter friends were in Glast Heim now, and she was all alone in some city that the only thing she knew about it was that it was in the north.  
  
"Let me guess...you aren't supposed to be here, right?"  
  
She nodded, her fear growing. But the kind stranger sensed this.  
  
"Heh...priests these days...they can hardly ever get a warp right. Well, while you're here, you might want to check out the clock tower...just be careful. Those punks may be small, but their bite is quite nasty. As for the clocks, just don't attack them first and you should be fine. Good luck Miss."  
  
So not all people were mean and cruel. Perhaps leaving Payon was the best decision she ever made.  
  
And things were about to get better. 


	8. Enter the LI

**Chapter 7: Enter the L.I.**  
  
Being in a strange city was difficult for Malene, as she could not see where she was supposed to go. But she knew that sooner or later she would have to learn to find her way around, and the sooner, the better. Guided by instinct, she followed the current of people streaming into the tower.  
  
After nearly tripping, she realized that she was standing in front of a staircase. She ascended carefully, making sure that she didn't fall. When she reached the door at the top, she knew that she would have to be extra alert. Slowly, she found her way through a narrow passage...with more stairs. She hated stairs.  
  
Her slow pace made her the perfect target for a nearby punk. It easily snuck up on her, being quite silent. She had no idea that something was following her till it attacked her. Well, she sensed it, but she didn't realize that there actually was something on her tail.  
  
She was nearly knocked down by whatever had hit her. Turning, she quickly fired an arrow at her opponent, and something just short of a miracle happened.  
  
Yes ladies and gentlemen, that was the first time in her life that Malene had ever missed her target. Thank you very much.  
  
She knew that her arrow had failed to hit, so she tried again...and again. It seemed as though Malene had met her match.  
  
She felt her strength waning as she took blow after blow, when all of a sudden, she heard a sound that she would remember for the rest of her life as her savior.  
  
"Fire wall!"  
  
The blind Hunter was nearly charred to a crisp from the flames, but she was safe from the monster that had attacked her.  
  
"Fire bolt!"  
  
Malene heard the sound of shards of flames battering down on the punk, the smell of smoke rising up. She already knew the fate of the monster.  
  
"Thank you for helping me..."  
  
"Heh. I couldn't let a cute huntress like you get owned by a punk, now could I?"  
  
Malene smiled. This...wizard seemed nice. Not like the people back in Payon.  
  
"Well, how would I be able to thank a kind arcane being such as yourself?"  
  
"Well...you could help me to train...so I'll be able to graduate."  
  
Malene almost fell over from shock. This boy, whose magic was quite strong, was still just a Mage? He sure fooled her.  
  
"Sure, I'll help you."  
  
"Great! Come on!"  
  
He took her hand and pulled her through a corridor...and down another flight of stairs.  
  
Stairs...ugh.  
  
But waiting for them at the bottom was something which could have killed the mage if he wasn't careful.  
  
For as soon as they reached the room with the pendulum, the boy immediately felt the arrow of an archer skeleton bury itself in his arm.  
  
And there were two more punks headed in their direction.


	9. Cupid's arrows

**Chapter 8: Cupid's arrows**  
  
The Mage knew that there was little chance that he could fight off two punks and an archer skeleton all by himself.  
  
"Go back!"  
  
"I wont leave you here!"  
  
"'I'll hold them off with fire wall...but it won't stop the archer skel's arrows...Get out of here now!"  
  
Malene shook her head and aimed an arrow at the skeleton.  
  
"Not a chance."  
  
She released the arrow at the skeleton, hitting its arm. The arrowhead shattered the bone, rendering it unable to attack. She shot another arrow, this time penetrating the neck bone, separating the head from the shoulders. The empty sockets seemed to bore into her very soul as the body fell from under it. The skull clattered on top of the pile of bones a second later.  
  
She listened carefully. Punks were quiet, but they did emit a slight moldy odor which became easy for her to target. She searched for a silver arrow from her quiver. She quickly released it and reached for another arrow, but something stopped her.  
  
"What element are those things?"  
  
"I...think they're...wind! They're wind."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"I spent a year alone researching about the monsters here. I'll be damned if I can't remember their elemental properties."  
  
She slipped the silver arrow back into her quiver and fingered a random arrow, and, after confirming in her mind that it was a stone arrow, she fired it at the first creature. It screamed in pain as it fell to the floor. Meanwhile, the other one was half dead from trying to get through the fire wall that the mage had cast.  
  
"Napalm beat!"  
  
It didn't have the desired effect of killing of the monster, but the firewall was able to hold it back long enough for the mage to attack again.  
  
"Uhh...Napalm beat!"  
  
The punk, who was almost barbequed by the fire wall, fell prey to the powerful ghost attack.  
  
"Why didn't you use fire bolt?"  
  
The mage sat down on the steps, out of breath.  
  
"I didn't have enough energy left...hehehe"  
  
The Huntress took a seat beside the mage, who was breathing quite hard. This surprised her, since she thought that he would be able to handle something like that. But he answered her question before she had a chance to ask.  
  
"I'm allergic to moth dust...fighting even a dustiness will drain me quickly."  
  
The two sat in silence for a couple of minutes before Malene had even thought to say anything.  
  
"Um...since we're it seems that we're gonna be hanging out together, could I please know your name?"  
  
She held out her hand to engage the boy in a friendly handshake.  
  
"My name is Malene Surculus, top hunter of this year's batch."  
  
"Helios Celestite, super mage who is pushing himself to learn more spells than his peers. Pleased to meet you."  
  
"Why did you decide to train here if you're allergic to moth dust?"  
  
"Probably the same reason that you're here."  
  
"I doubt it. I was supposed to go to Glast Heim with the rest of the new graduates...but that priest...he warped me here. It's unlikely that your alibi is the same."  
  
"You'd be surprised."  
  
The two smiled at each other. They knew that this was the start of what would become a beautiful friendship.


	10. Caught in a trap

**Chapter 9: Caught in a trap**  
  
After killing off a few more punks and even a couple of clocks, Helios began to get bored.  
  
"I got an idea! Why don't we try deviruchis?"  
  
Malene swallowed nervously. She had been told about deviruchis, and while an experienced hunter could easily take one down, a newbie may have a harder time.  
  
"I don't know Helios...wouldn't that be dangerous?"  
  
"We'll be fine...just set up an ankle snare trap."  
  
"Erm...sure...just one problem..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I've never tried using traps before..."  
  
"Oh great...well now you can practice...look, there's one over there. Set up the snare, quick!"  
  
She fumbled through her bag for one of the traps that her brother had given her before she left. She tried to remember the lessons on basic trap laying that their instructor had given them. Since she had to learn by feel, she was never sure if she got them right. But now she would have to do her best.  
  
She quickly went to work on laying an ankle snare trap, quickly jumping back when she heard a deviruchi getting close. She just barely escaped being skewered by its little spear.  
  
"Fire bolt!"  
  
The little devil attempted to chase her, which caused it to get caught in the huntress's ankle snare.  
  
"Double strafe!"  
  
The deviruchi grew weaker which each hit it took from the two. But another deviruchi, enraged by the assault on its friend, appeared from out of nowhere and lashed out at the huntress, its spear slashing a wound across her left eye, shattering the purple sunglasses that she had worn for most of her life. She fell down, sliding from the force of the blow.  
  
"Oh no...Malene!!! Fire Wall!!!"  
  
After stopping the devil in its tracks with his fire wall, he rushed over to help the fallen huntress. Her face was covered in blood, her severed glasses hanging at a weird angle. He pulled the glasses off and ripped at the hem of his cloak, tearing off a long strip of cloth. But before he could tend to her wound, the devi suddenly burst through the firewall, it's skin sill smoking, then quickly jumped at the mage.  
  
"Frost Driver!"  
  
In a split second the little devil was frozen in midair. The large chunk of ice that now contained it fell to the ground, smashing upon impact. The devil was wounded severely, but its misery was quickly ended by a single spell, its power fueled by anger.  
  
"Thunder Storm!!!"  
  
The limp body of the deviruchi lay helpless on the ground, its leg twitching. Its doom was then brought about by the end of a staff being driven directly through its heart.  
  
Upon seeing that the two devils were finished, Helios quickly ran to Malene's side. He wiped the blood away with his cloak and wrapped the torn hem around her head like a makeshift bandage.  
  
"Malene....Malene, don't worry...you'll be okay...I'm gonna get you to a priest or an acolyte...just hold on, alright? Please? You'll be fine...I promise..."  
  
He scooped her up into his arms and fished a butterfly wing from his pocket. He had told her that she would be alright, now all he needed to do was convince himself.


	11. Revalations

**Chapter 10: Revelations**  
  
Helios carried the huntress to a spot in the shade. He had made sure to head to a deserted spot at the side of the clock tower as to avoid crowds and potential danger for his friend.  
  
"Over here! Hurry! Please..."  
  
"Alright...take of the bandage...let me take a look..."  
  
The mage had brought a priest over to heal Malene's wound. He quickly unraveled the strip of cloth. The blood had clot, making it harder to peel the makeshift bandage away from her face.  
  
"Heat this."  
  
The Mage took the bottle of holy water that the priest was holding and lit a fire ball under it, nearly scorching his hand in the process. The priest took the bottle, his hand protected by a glove. He poured the heated water on the cloth, loosening the bloodstained bandage from her skin. He frowned as soon as he saw the gash.  
  
"Dammit, you sure have a knack for overreacting. This wound is nothing more than a shallow gash...she would have survived."  
  
"Then why did she faint?"  
  
"Did she hit her head on anything?"  
  
"I don't know...wait...yeah, I think so. There was a trunk lying nearby."  
  
"Well that explains the bruise on the back of her head. You sure love being a savior to pretty young girls don't you?"  
  
"Why you...hey, she's waking up!"  
  
Malene slowly sat up, her hand on her forehead.  
  
"I'm so....dizzy...."  
  
"Don't move..."  
  
The priest placed a hand on either side of her head, one covering her eyes and the other on her bruise. He concentrated his power into his hands, healing her wounds within seconds.  
  
"Are you alright?"  
  
"Yeah...just...dizzy..."  
  
"How many fingers am I holding up?"  
  
"Sorry, but I haven't the slightest idea."  
  
"Well girl, open your eyes and look!"  
  
She obeyed, slowly opening her eyelids to reveal two hauntingly white orbs.


	12. In your eyes

**Chapter 11: In your eyes**

"Well....I never imagined..."

"Malene...your eyes..."  
  
Helios was shocked, and actually a bit frightened by the color of the huntress's eyes. His fear was obvious in his voice. Tears began to spring up in her ivory orbs, for she didn't know that the young mage was not afraid of her, but rather afraid for her.  
  
"Now then...dry your tears. That sure is a nasty scar you have. Here, you can borrow this."  
  
The priest took off the phantom of the opera mask that he was wearing and secured it on the blind girl's face. While Helios had never seen a blind person in his young life, the priest was quite accustomed to it.  
  
"Well, since Helios here hasn't been polite enough to introduce us, I'll take the liberty myself. My name is Garnet. Please forgive the fact that I don't have a proper surname. And you?"  
  
"Malene Surculus. Thank you so much..."  
  
"No problem, especially since Helios here can be such a goofball at times."  
  
"So you two know each other?"  
  
"For most of our lives. We grew up together in...hey, Heli, ya still alive in there??"  
  
The mage was still staring into space, as he was still not over the shock of discovering that his friend lacked the ability to see. He was snapped back to reality by a certain priest nudging him.  
  
"Huh? Oh...yeah..."  
  
"Helios, what's wrong? Why are you so quiet all of a sudden?"  
  
"Nothing..."  
  
"It's my eyes, isn't it?"  
  
"What? No! Well..."  
  
"I thought that you weren't like the others, but I guess I was wrong."  
  
"Malene..."  
  
"Garnet, would it be too much trouble to ask for a warp to Glast Heim? Maybe I can still find my classmates. Don't worry, I have a blue gemstone with me."  
  
The huntress stood and turned her back to the two, determined not to let them see the tear which seeped through and trickled down her cheek.  
  
"I was just there. I think most of them went home already. I could give you a warp back to Payon if you want."  
  
"Fine...here's the gem..."  
  
"Nah, forget it. It's on me."  
  
He focused on the gem, crushing it when it started to glow. A second later a warp portal appeared in front of the huntress. She quickly stepped inside and was warped back to her hometown.  
  
Garnet, however, took this fine opportunity to slap his friend upside the head.  
  
"Ow! What in the name of Hel was that for?"  
  
"That, my friend, was your reward for making such an ass of yourself."

* * *

Upon arriving home, Malene ran to her room and flung herself on her bed. She hugged her stuffed smokie and cried, just like she did when she was younger.  
  
"I guess this is my fate."  
  
She sobbed softly until she heard a faint knocking on her door. She smiled when she heard the friendly and reassuring voice of her beloved brother. Though she never had the fortune of ever seeing his face, she knew when he smiled. She could feel the laughter in his aura.  
  
"Hey sis, guess what." 


	13. Snowy world of dreams

**Chapter 12: Snowy world of dreams**  
  
Malene shook her head and hugged her smokie even tighter. Her brother's joyous mood was almost nauseating.  
  
"Now what?"

"Guess where we're going next week."  
  
"I dunno...byalan?"  
  
"Heck no! We're going to Lutie!"  
  
She faced her brother. Could he not be considerate enough to just give her some peace and quiet?  
  
"You're kidding."  
  
"Nope, and guess who I'm taking along."  
  
"I dunno...maybe what's-her-name...Jen?"  
  
He responded by rummaging through her closet and pulling out her bag, which he tossed onto her bed.  
  
"Pack something warm. I don't want you freezing to death on me."  
  
Malene responded by jumping out of bed and giving Jadeite a hug which nearly killed him.

* * *

"All right...is everybody here?"  
  
It was the day of the trip to Lutie, and Jadeite had switched into his leader mode. He did a quick role call for all of the hunters that were going...which was maybe about three, Malene, Agate, one of Jadeite's classmates, and yes... Jadeite himself. It was quite a comical scene, considering that there were only four of them in their group. The other was Emery, a priest that Jadeite always hung out with. But anyways, after making sure everyone was there, the priest opened a warp portal to Lutie, making sure Malene went second so she would not get left behind again.  
  
The climate change could easily break a glass. They went from a warm Payonese forest to a freezing snowy field. All around was snow. But one did not have to see to experience the beauty if the little flakes that fell from the sky. Malene held out her hand to catch a few snowflakes, smiling when they melted against her palm.  
  
"Hey sis! Over here! Quick!"  
  
She ran over towards the sound of her brother's voice, careful not to trip over anything. She stopped right beside the rest of the group.  
  
"Alright, let me introduce everyone...you guys already know each other...but I don't think you've met my sister. Guys, this is Tourmaline, my sweet little sis. I want you all to be nice to her alright? Or else you're all gonna get a taste of Novaculite's blitz. Got it?"  
  
"Um...big brother...I'll be fine..."  
  
"Uh...yeah...anyways...This is Galena, our uber hot blacksmith...Ow! What was that for? Okay, Lena honey, you're scaring me...er...Jasper help!"  
  
"Jadeite you screw up...well, I'm Jasper, the knight who is always saving your brother from tasting Galena's fire stunner, which she forged herself...oh right. This here is Lapis, our priestess...oh for the love of Odin...Galena! Leave him alone!"  
  
"Ice wall."  
  
In a flash a large block of ice rose up to encase both the Hunter and the Blacksmith in separate cages of ice. The wizard then turned north and walk away from the group.  
  
"And that guy way over there is our wizard, Cryptos. Don't even waste your time trying to talk to him. He never said two words beyond his name, spells not included." 


	14. The town of Christmas

**Chapter 13: The town of Christmas**  
  
"Well, if we don't hurry, we're all gonna freeze, so let's get going!"  
  
Jadeite and Galena had both broken out of their ice prisons and were now walking with the rest of the group, Jadeite rubbing the back of his head and Galena fuming.  
  
After a few minutes of walking and knocking out the Sasquatches that got in their way, they arrived at the entrance of the ever so beautiful Christmas town, Lutie. After a few more minutes of walking, they came to a good sized cottage which apparently belonged to Galena.  
  
"Make yourselves at home everyone. There are two beds in each room, so make sure you and your roommate don't kill each other. Okay? Okay. We'll be leaving for the toy factory in 25 minutes. Anyone who isn't ready will be left behind."  
  
Malene grinned. This blacksmith was like a female version of her brother.  
  
"Hey! Earth to Malene! Wake up!"  
  
She faced the direction from which her brother's voice came from. She felt around for her bag only to find that Jadeite had already taken it.  
  
"Come on sis, let's go!"  
  
She followed the sound of his footsteps till she reached their room.

* * *

"Okay then...there are eight of us so we'll split into two groups. Whoever draws the shorter sticks will be in Lapis' group, the ones who get the longer sticks will stay with Emery. Alright ...draw."  
  
Malene went second, and, having drawn one of the longer sticks, was grouped with Emery, Jasper, and the ever so stoic Cryptos.  
  
"Well, of all the females, we ended up with the cutest one in the bunch!"  
  
"Cut it Jasper or you'll taste one of my arrows."  
  
"My my...touchy, aren't we big brother?"  
  
Malene shook her head as her brother and the knight continued to clown around. She was lost in thought, for her intuition was telling her that something was going to happen, something that would forever change her life. Something was telling her not to go to the toy factory, or else she would regret it forever. 


	15. Knight in icy armor

**Chapter 14: Knight in Icy armor**  
  
"Malene, are you alright?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well, I don't know you well enough to tell, but you seem a bit distant."  
  
"Lapis, don't waste your time. She's always like that."  
  
The group trudged through the snow, quickly making their way to the toy factory at the northern end of town. Aside from Galena, none of them were terribly fond of the cold. More than one of them breathed a sigh of relief upon entering the building.  
  
"So...which team is going to the second floor?"  
  
"We are! Hey Emery, I'll race ya!"  
  
"You're on!"  
  
Malene sighed and adjusted the phantom mask that Garnet had lent her, then set off to follow the sound of the footsteps which belong to the two boys, who were quite possibly more immature than her brother. Cryptos however, merely scoffed and muttered something about the "childish brats" before following.

* * *

"They're long range...and aggressive."  
  
"So? They should be easy pickings for you, just cast pneuma!"  
  
"Um...hello? I can only cast it on one of us."  
  
"Bah...I can take it down easily."  
  
Cruisers. The little nutcracker soldier dolls come to life. They were annoying as hell, and loud and noisy too. Since Malene couldn't kill them in one hit, she would often knock their little rifles out of their little wooden hands and then kill them. Other times she would just plug up their rifles altogether, causing them to backfire.  
  
Myst cases were a different story. They gave her a good chance to practice her trap setting techniques. That was if Jasper didn't go all spear happy on them. If he had the energy of an acolyte then he would probably pierce anything and everything that got within range.  
  
And the cookies, they were the worst. I swear, they seem to be forever picking their noses. And those sniffing sounds they make are enough to drive someone insane. The sweet little hunter known as Malene would shoot them through the heart on sight...er...upon hearing them.  
  
But in their aimless wandering in search of Odin knows what, it just so happened that they got separated. The priest and the knight who acted as if they were no older than five years old were constantly playing hide and seek or some other game, the ambiance of the place bringing out their inner children even more. It wasn't long before Malene was all alone.  
  
The place was so quiet...too quiet. She turned around, trying her best to pick up any sounds with her sensitive hearing. After finding nothing but silence in her surroundings, she knelt down and placed her hand flat on the ground, then lowered her ear to the ground as well. She could hear the vibrations of footsteps approaching. Standing up, she readied her hunter's bow, a crystal arrow in her hand. She knew what it was, and she was all alone to face him.  
  
The room suddenly grew chilly as she felt the presence of the King of the toy factory, the beast known as Stormy Knight.  
  
Snatching the last trap from her bag, she quickly went to work, jumping back at the last second. As soon as the monster's foot got tangled, she attacked.  
  
"Double strafe!"  
  
The giant deformed reindeer became more enraged with the arrows embedded in his arm. He broke free from the snare and charged at her, his sword poised above his head. His aura changed as his speed seemed to double, stirring up the wind around him.  
  
Malene took a huge step back, slipping on a piece of cake that was left lying around. She knew that she didn't have much of a chance, so she closed her eyes and waited while listening to the faint whistling sound of his sword coming down at her. 


	16. Savior in a cloak

**Chapter 15: Savior in a cloak**  
  
"Safety wall."  
  
Malene felt someone jump in front of her, his thick wizard's cloak brushing over her feet. She knew who it was by the icy and dark tone of his voice as he cast his spells.  
  
"Ice wall."  
  
He quickly turned and tugged at Malene's hand, pulling her along as he ran down the conveyor belts of the factory, taking the shortest path possible in order to reach the exit.  
  
"We have to hurry...that ice wall won't hold him for long."  
  
The huntress struggled to keep up with the wizard, who was quite swift. When they were nearing the exit they heard a thunderous roar followed by thunderous footsteps headed in their direction. They both stopped for a second, allowing the wizard to cast yet another ice wall.  
  
"Come on...we're almost at the exit."  
  
Malene could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she fought to catch her breath. Her legs were tired, but she knew that taking a rest would cost them their lives. Fortunately for them, the deformed reindeer-like creature known as the Stormy knight was a bit slow, and after some time, he was unable to keep up with them.  
  
Just as the earth began to rumble from a Lord of Vermillion attack cast by the stormy knight, Malene felt herself being pulled down a makeshift stairway comprised of boxes wrapped in fancy paper and ribbons, making it difficult to tread on their slippery surface. They continued running until they had reached the main entrance.  
  
"You have to be more careful. Next time, watch where you're going."  
  
Malene stood up and faced the wizard, half tempted to remove her mask. There was clearly a look of annoyance on her usually blank face.  
  
"There you are! Are you two alright?"  
  
It was the voice of Jasper, who had run downstairs after the "earthquake."  
  
The ever so charming Cryptos scoffed and exited the factory, not bothering to wait for the others.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"I was attacked by the Stormy Knight...and he saved me. I don't know why..."  
  
"Wow Malene, he must really like you."  
  
"Why do you say that?"  
  
She could tell by the tone of the knight's voice that he wasn't joking when he said this.  
  
"Because if he didn't, he would have probably left you to die. He's done it before and I wouldn't put it past him to do it again."  
  
It wasn't long before the rest of the group arrived at the entrance and, after hearing about the Stormy knight being active and awake, to all decided to head back home.  
  
And Malene was once again left to wonder what was going on around her.

* * *

Midnight. Malene's favorite time. She had wandered up to the attic of Galena's house and onto a balcony. Though she could never experience the simple pleasure of gazing at the endless curtain of sparkling gems known as stars, she had her own favorite pastime. She loved to sit and feel the wind blowing on her face, the sounds of the night filling her ears. Though she hated stairs, she would climb a staircase to the sky if only to feel the gentle caress of the night winds.  
  
As always, she lost track of time and lost herself in her world of sightless beauty when out of the blue, she felt the presence of another being. She knew who it was, even without him speaking. The ever so sociable wizard known as Cryptos had once again decided to grace her with his exquisite presence. What? Is my sarcasm that obvious?  
  
But something stirred within her when he did speak.  
  
"Hey there." 


	17. A strange surprise

**Chapter 16: A strange surprise**  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"I...just wanted to talk to you..."  
  
Malene closed her eyes and listened to the sound of the wind. How dare he come and disturb her moment of peace!  
  
"Oh, and what have I done to deserve such an honor?"  
  
"Malene, don't be like that..."  
  
There was something different about his voice. It was no longer the hard and icy voice from earlier. Now it was soft and gentle, and a tad familiar.  
  
"I just wanted to apologize..."  
  
"Well fine. Apology accepted. Please leave now."  
  
" No Malene...I mean about last week..."  
  
She jerked around quickly to face him. Last week? Wasn't it only a few hours ago that she met him? She felt something being thrust into her hands. It was her broken sunglasses.  
  
"What the...where did you get this?"  
  
"Please don't tell me that you don't remember..."  
  
Out of pure instinct, she reached up and touched his cheek, which was wet with a single drop of liquid.  
  
A tear?  
  
"No..."  
  
"Malene, it's me."  
  
"No!"  
  
She jumped up and ran, but a strong gloved hand caught her wrist.  
  
"Malene, please, listen to me!"  
  
"No! You're lying!"  
  
She tried to break free from his grip, but he only held on tighter. He then pulled her closer to him and wrapped his arms around her in an attempt to stop her struggling.  
  
"Let go of me!"  
  
"Please, just listen...please Malene, I saved your life twice, you owe me that much."  
  
"Alright, but let me go first."  
  
"Promise me that you won't run away."  
  
"I promise."  
  
As soon as his grip loosened, she quickly stepped back, but as promised, she didn't run.  
  
"Please tell me what's going on."  
  
"You have to promise that you'll believe me."  
  
"How can I promise that? I don't even know who you are!"  
  
"I was born as Cryptomelane Heliodor Celestite. Ever since I was young I was always by myself. I grew to be like I am now, but there was always one person who could make me feel normal, the one who could bring out my true colors. That was Garnet. You were the only other person who ever had the power to make me smile. I don't even know why."  
  
"But...why did you go all silent on me when I woke up?"  
  
"I was shocked. I didn't mean to be like that...I'm sorry."  
  
He reached over and pulled off her phantom mask. Tracing the scar on her eye, he tilted her face up towards his.  
  
"Open you eyes Malene...please...for me."  
  
She did. Slowly and sadly, she opened her eyes, her ivory orbs glowing in the moonlight. He gently planted a light kiss on her forehead and replaced the phantom mask on her face.  
  
"Get some sleep. Tomorrow we're going after that stormy bastard. I've got an old score to settle."


	18. Preparation

**Chapter 17: preparation...**  
  
"Alright...let's see here...got enough traps with you?"  
  
"Check"  
  
"Arrows?"  
  
"What kind?"  
  
"Uh...stone. I think. Bring some sharp arrows just incase. If I remember correctly, that thing is wind, which is weak against earth."  
  
Jadeite was busy making sure that his sister had everything she needed. She almost always ran out of either traps or arrows, and she almost got herself killed every time.  
  
"Alright, I'll be downstairs."  
  
He gave her a brotherly kiss on the top of her head. In response to this, she pretended to try to brush it off.  
  
"Eww! Big brother, you're giving me germs!!!"  
  
"Oh really now..."  
  
He gave her a bear hug from behind and kissed her cheek, only to be pushed away.  
  
"Eww! Cut it out!"  
  
She giggled and threw a pillow at him, hitting him square in the face.  
  
"Ok that does it...Pillow fight!!"  
  
He threw the pillow back at her, then ran around to grab the other pillow, which he mercilessly used to pound her with. The huntress held up her pillow like a shield, swinging it when she knew there was an opening, knocking her brother onto the bed.  
  
"Die!"  
  
She giggled like a little girl while pummeling him with her fluffy weapon.  
  
"Hey, hey, hey! I got an arrow sticking in my back!"  
  
"Liar! The arrows are over there!"  
  
"Wahhh..."  
  
"I own you! You cannot beat me in this pillow fight!"  
  
She was about to deliver her victory blow when she heard a soft chuckle from the doorway, followed by the voice of the group clown, the knight known as Jasper.  
  
"Hey, you two, hurry up. You know how cranky Galena is."  
  
Jadeite pushed himself up and grabbed his quiver and his bag, then ran downstairs to escape his sister and her deadly pillow. Whistling, Malene did the same, her brother's falcon on her shoulder.  
  
"Well Nova, looks like we have a big fight ahead of us...you ready for it?"  
  
The snow white falcon responded by using it's beak to pull the hair away from Malene's eyes. With confidence in herself and her friends, she grabbed her stuff and ran to join the others.


	19. And it begins

**Chapter 18: And it begins**  
  
"Alright everyone, be careful. Jasper, Lapis and Agate, stay with me. The rest of you stick with Galena. We'll all comb through the second floor. We'll take the west area, you guys stick to the east. Got it? Now let's go kill this ugly son of a poring."  
  
Malene made sure to stay close to Galena and most especially Cryptos. She gripped her hunter's bow nervously, not wanting to have to face this thing without her brother to back her up. She stopped when she felt a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Hey, don't worry, you'll be fine. I can't be there for you all the time, you have to learn to fend for yourself. You did it when you were young and you can do it now. I believe in you Sel. Show them what the females of the Surculus clan can do."  
  
She tried to keep from wrapping her arms around him and crying like she did as a child. But she knew that she had to stay strong. He only called her by her childhood nickname when he was either annoyed with her or trying to get her to listen.  
  
"Right. Let's show this creep what we're made of."  
  
They made their way towards the center of the ground floor of the factory, to the gift box staircase which separated them from safety and possible death.

* * *

"Alright guys, this is where we split up. Don't let your guard down. And Malene, be careful."  
  
Malene slowly followed the others towards the east side of the factory. It felt weird to walk on a slowly moving conveyor belt, but it was the only path that led from the stairway in the center. The blind huntress kept her focus, trying to detect any and all sounds.  
  
But it seemed as though the building was too quiet.  
  
As they quietly padded their way through the factory, the unnerving silence was broken by a gruff voice and a sizzling magic attack thrown in Malene's direction.  
  
"Watch out!"  
  
She felt herself being pushed out of the way and knocked to the ground. She and her rescuer had barely had a chance to recover when another lightning bolt slammed down on the priest who had saved her.  
  
"Emery, are you alright?"  
  
"Yeah...I'm fine...nothing that a little heal can't fix..."  
  
"Ice wall"  
  
Cryptos' icy voice was heard as he cast a block of ice to buy them enough time to escape. But the blacksmith leader had other plans.  
  
"Alright guys, we can do this. Em, I need some buffs so I can get melee on his ass"  
  
"No way Len! It's too dangerous!"  
  
"We came here to off this dude, so let's get it done."  
  
Realizing her point, the priest cast several supportive spells on his teammates, knowing that this was the most he could do. After all, full support priests were never meant for battle.  
  
"Cryptos, distract him long enough for me to get close. Malene, Go around him and try to get a clean shot. We only have one chance so let's give it all we got!"  
  
The wizard nodded and ran around the icewall, then quickly cast another around himself for protection.  
  
"Emery! I need a Suffragium! Now!"  
  
The priest nodded and concentrated on his companion, enchanting him with a spell to shorten the time needed to cast. The air around the wizard began to glow as he chanted a spell. In the time it took for the ice to melt, the spell was already cast, and the ground began to tremble slightly as the wizard's voice called upon the power of the earth.  
  
"Heaven's drive."  
  
It only took a few seconds for the attack to reach the Stormy Knight. It didn't do as much damage as they had hoped, but it had distracted him long enough for Galena to get close.  
  
"Mammonite!"  
  
The attack was powerful, but it still wasn't enough to bring him down. He reacted by swinging his sword at the blacksmith, knocking her towards the wall. She managed a few incoherent words of encouragement before passing out.  
  
During this short span of time, Malene was trying to find a suitable place from which she could snipe the Stormy Knight. But since she was the one who survived his attack from the day before, she suddenly became his main target. He charged up his energy for an attack which was sure to end her life. In the time that it took for Emery to warn her, a very powerful lighting bolt was already halfway to its potential target, the blind huntress named Malene. 


	20. A willing Sacrifice

**Chapter 19: A willing sacrifice**  
  
"Malene!!"  
  
"Dammit Cryptos, don't!"  
  
Too late. By the time that the words had left the priest's lips, the wizard had already thrown himself into the path of the oncoming lightning bolt. Malene was shocked, and all she could do was cry at the thought of someone risking their life for her, her tears leaking from under her mask. Though she herself was knocked back, she still caught him as he fell. Cryptos did manage one final sentence as the stormy knight set his sights on the priest.  
  
"Em...ery...get...out of...here...now..."  
  
Nodding, he quickly teleported away. Seeing that his target was now defenseless, the Stormy Knight rushed towards them, his sword held high above his head.  
  
"Blitz Beat!!"  
  
Two voices called out simultaneously as two falcons, one white as snow and the other black as night, attacked in perfect synchronization. The twin Falcons, the deadly duo whose masters were the two deadliest Hunters in Payon.  
  
"Back off you deformed reindeer, or I'll rip your icy heart out."  
  
The Stormy knight turned his attention to the group standing behind him. Aside from the two hunters standing at either side, there was a knight with a long and wicked looking spear in his hand, and a priestess with a long staff. Running up behind them was Emery.  
  
"Alright everyone, let's show him what we got!"  
  
Jasper, who was the closest of the group, was the first to initiate the attacks.  
  
"Spear boomerang...What the hell?"  
  
The knight's attack seemed to bounce off Stormy's shield. Immediately, he began casting Lord Of vermilion.  
  
"Lapis! Silence him, quick!"  
  
The priestess pointed her staff at the monster and cast Lex Divina, but it was painfully clear that it had no effect.  
  
"...he...can't be...silenced...and ghost...attacks have no...effect..."  
  
Malene turned to face the wizard who lay beside her. He though in broken speech, he still tried to warn them of the dangers that they were facing. He was weak, but he struggled to stay alive.  
  
"M...Malene...I...I want you to...have...this..."  
  
He took the blinker from around his eyes and enchanted it with a spell, then removed her phantom mask.  
  
"This...will help....you...I...enchanted it with...sense..."  
  
After wiping the tears from her eyes, Cryptos fastened the blinker on Malene's head.  
  
"Go...I'll be...fine..."  
  
Trying her best to stand she readied her bow and went back to searching for a suitable sniping spot.  
  
_Double strafe!  
  
Holy light!_  
  
All other sounds faded into the background as she tried to focus.  
  
_Heal!  
  
Kyrie Eleison!_  
  
All she could think of now was doing what she was told to do.  
  
_Blessing!  
  
Pierce!_  
  
With a quiver full of stone arrows and a heart full of worry, she scaled the post which stood in her path. Having grown up in a forest, it was only natural that she had learned to excel in climbing.  
  
_Agility up!  
  
Angelus!_  
  
She had reached the top...now there was only one thing left to do. Loading her Hunter's bow with a stone arrow, she let her instincts guide her. Listening carefully, she aimed her bow and fired.  
  
"Double strafe!"

Not enough...she readied a few more arrows for a chain attack.

"Double strafe! Arrow Shower!"  
  
She continued her rain of arrows on the icy monster, not even stopping when she sensed another lightning bolt aimed in her direction.


	21. A battle of vengeance

**Chapter 20: A battle of vengeance**  
  
There was no time to think...only react. She took a rope from her bag and tied it to the post, hanging down just enough to avoid the attack. The quickly and carefully tied the rope to an arrow and fired it at the ground. Remembering some of her training, she used her bow so she could slide safely to the ground. She ran towards the beast and laid an ankle snare trap, avoiding his attacks in the process.  
  
She felt him gathering his energy, and in her haste to get out of range, she tripped on a stray toy lying around. Right before he cast, she felt the wind start to rise around her, becoming stronger and colder. She knew what it was, and she knew she didn't have enough time to get away.  
  
"Double strafe!"  
  
Her attack still did nothing to stop the already charged up Storm gust. Reacting quickly, she curled into a ball and wrapped her arms around her legs in hopes that she could keep herself from freezing.  
  
"Cure! Heal!"  
  
In the moment that the holy energy hit her, her energy was immediately renewed. Still crouching, she set another trap and ran away. After hearing the soft click of something being caught in her snare, she aimed her bow in its direction.  
  
"Double strafe!"  
  
Unlike her brother, Malene preferred to rely on her own prowess with a bow rather than adopting a falcon partner. Besides, she didn't even like the idea of having a Seeing Eye falcon.  
  
Reloading her bow, she jumped away just as Stormy's sword came down at her. She kept jumping back and dodging, unable to aim properly. She couldn't even set a trap. Thinking quickly, she faked a jump to the left and rolled to the right. While still on one knee, she quickly took aim.  
  
"Double strafe!"  
  
She ran to the right and set an ankle snare trap. After moving away some distance, she continued her barrage of earthly projectiles. Jumping back again, she was just barely able to avoid Stormy's Lord of Vermillion attack.  
  
The ground shook violently and the huntress was thrown off balance. Her fall was broken by an oversized building block. Holding her side in pain, she rolled away just as the icy sword came down at her again.  
  
Getting back on her feet, she ran. When she was sure she was a safe distance away, she turned and kneeled down, reaching into her bag for another trap. A look of worry crossed her face as she dug deeper into her bag. By the time that she realized that she was out of traps, it was too late. She finally tasted Stormy's sword.  
  
With a huge gash on her shoulder, she was thrown to the side, and her bow had slipped from her grasp. She listened carefully to the sounds around her. She knew very well that her partymates were too far away. They would never reach her in time. Now she was on her own. Reaching for the sheath on her belt, she quickly brandished her Gladius, a weapon that Jadeite insisted that she keep for emergencies. And now was one such emergency.  
  
Hearing the whistle of the sword coming down again at breakneck speed, she tried her best to defend herself with the dagger. Though a bit weak without her bow, she was very agile and was thus able to dodge decently. She knew as well as the next person that a dagger wouldn't do much, not when the wielder was a huntress who couldn't even see. She had only one option, and that was to find her bow.  
  
Parrying, dodging and avoiding, she kept on going backwards...back towards the point where she faltered. As she did her best to avoid getting turned into a human garnish, her foot hit something that was light but solid. Without thinking, she jumped back and reached down to grab whatever it was, hoping that maybe, just maybe, it was something that could help her. And by the slightest stroke of luck, it turned out to be her bow.  
  
Time seemed to stand still at that moment. Her friends were just now arriving, but from what they could see, the battle was already over. For in the time that it took Malene to ready her bow, the monster had already made his final attack against the huntress.


	22. Is this the end?

**Chapter 21: Is this the end?**  
  
It only took a second.  
  
Malene's heart didn't even have a chance to beat in that one moment. Time froze for all of those in the room. Jadeite rushed towards his sister, only to be stopped by Jasper's spear.  
  
"Malene!"  
  
The young huntress turned her face upwards at the Knight.  
  
"Take a good...look you...bastard...this is the last face you're ever...going to see..."  
  
The Stormy Knight's sword fell to the ground with a clank as he keeled over. Jadeite pushed his friend away and ran to catch his sister, who fell to her knees. He looked to see that Stormy's body now had a gaping hole through his midsection. In the last moment of the fight, Malene had quickly double strafed though him. Looking up, the hunter saw his falcon flying in a circle around the arrows protruding from the ceiling.  
  
"B-big...bro...ther..."  
  
Jadeite returned his attention to his sister, who was now extremely weak. She smiled and raised her hand to her wounded shoulder.  
  
"I...I did...it...I...beat...him..."  
  
"Shh, don't speak sis, just rest."  
  
He brushed the hair from her face and stroked her cheek.  
  
"I...I can't believe...it..."  
  
Suddenly she covered her hand with her stomach. Somehow, Stormy had managed to shoot a dagger of ice into her, making her bleed heavily. She coughed violently, the blood coming up and making her choke.  
  
"I...feel...so...weak..."  
  
"Sis, hang on, please. You'll be fine. Lapis and Emery are here with me...they can heal you."  
  
Malene smiled at her brother and fell against him, covering him with blood as she collapsed from her kneeling position.  
  
"Malene...mother will be so proud of you..."  
  
His voice broke as he hugged his younger sibling, the tears pouring down. Emery used heal to close off the wounds and stop the bleeding, dismay showing in his eyes when he realized that there was not much he could do. He picked her up and set her on Jasper's Peco as Jadeite walked over to Stormy's frozen corpse. He took his dagger from the sheath on his belt and stabbed it into the monster's chest, making sure that his heart beat no more.  
  
After spitting on the dead reindeer, he stooped over to pick up something from the ground.  
  
"Come on guys...let's get out of here..."


	23. Epilogue

**Epilogue**  
  
The sound of chirping birds and arrows being fired at practice targets were a rude intrusion into a young girl's slumber. Sitting up, she stretched and yawned loudly, bringing her arm down when she felt the horrible pain in her shoulder.  
  
"Good morning sunshine!"  
  
She knew that voice anywhere. She flung herself at the owner of the friendly masculine voice, a smile forming on her lips.  
  
"It's good to see that you recovered. For a while I thought you weren't gonna make it."  
  
The girl rubbed her forehead and shook her head.  
  
"How long was I out?"  
  
"About three months and two weeks. You lost a lot of blood, and we thought you'd never recover."  
  
"What about Helios? What happened to him? Tell me please!"  
  
The hunter pushed his sister back a bit.  
  
"You mean the Wizard? Oh he's fine...went back to Geffen a couple of weeks ago. He watched over you ever since he woke up last two months back...never left your bedside either."  
  
The huntress smiled and twiddled her thumbs. She was overflowing with joy knowing that he was safe.  
  
"Oh, by the way sis...I found this after your battle..."  
  
She felt the small, solid, circular object which was placed in her hand.  
  
"A ring? What's this for big brother?"  
  
"That's Stormy's ring. Since you defeated him, it's only right that I give it to you."  
  
The hunter embraced his little sister and gave her a kiss on the top of the head before leaving.  
  
"Malene...welcome back to the land of the living."  
  
-----  
  
So, did you kids enjoy my story?  
  
Hey, why are you crying? You thought she was killed didn't you? Well, you're not the first. Almost all of the young travelers to whom I told that story were fooled. But can you blame an old woman? I hardly ever get to have fun!  
  
Well, it seems that the sun is rising, and the storm has passed. Are you sure you wouldn't like to rest first before you go? Oh I understand.  
  
Well, if you ever find them, please tell them that the old bat known as Eula leaked their tale to yet another batch of young adventurers. Oh, and if you ever go to Alberta, please tell Lady Galena that I really need that ice gauche she promised me.  
  
**-end...?-**  
  
As the group stepped out, the young acolyte among them stretched and rubbed her eyes. She was feeling a mixture of conflicting emotions. She was both glad to leave the darkness of the cottage, yet sad, for she wanted to hear more stories.  
  
"Hey, Come on! We don't have all day!"  
  
She nodded at her swordsman partymate and ran to catch up with them. Fingering her pendant, she looked at the sky. She enclosed the crystal in her palm, smiling. The crystal was a beautiful Celestite stone carved into the shape of a butterfly. She had always treasured the necklace, for the ore within was the same as her surname. A soft whisper came from her lips.  
  
"Dad...I found her..."  
  
**-end-**


End file.
